From July 20 to 24, 2026, the first plenary meeting of the UN Global Mechanism on ICTs in the Context of International Security takes place at UN Headquarters in New York. The Chinese delegation has submitted to the Global Mechanism China’s Position Paper on Global Cyber Governance in the Digital Intelligence Age. After initiating the principle of cyber sovereignty, China now puts forward the important principle of respecting digital sovereignty, marking a new step in implementing the Global Governance Initiative and advancing the vision of building a community with a shared future in cyberspace.

The Position Paper stresses that in order to safeguard peace and stability, all countries should observe the purposes and principles of the UN Charter in cyberspace. It advocates respect for digital sovereignty and joint efforts to promote inclusive development, stating that every country has the right to independently choose its own path of development for digital intelligence technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), based on its national conditions, and has the right to independently choose AI technologies, products and services, and should not be coerced into taking sides. It reaffirms adherence to multilateralism, calls for effective responses to cyber security risks brought by emerging technologies such as AI, and urges the update of international rules for cyberspace in keeping with the times.

The head of the Chinese delegation, Coordinator for Cyber and Digital Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, elaborated on the Position Paper during the Global Mechanism plenary meeting.